1. Technical Field
Embodiments of this invention relate to an image forming apparatus, such as a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine, etc., that forms multiple color misalignment detection test pattern images to detect component color misalignment and aligns multiple component color toner images based on detection of these multiple color misalignment detection test patterns, and a method of forming an image by detecting component color misalignment and coinciding multiple component color toner images based on detection of these multiple color misalignment detection test patterns in the image forming apparatus.
2. Related Art
In a known belt type image forming apparatus, an endless intermediate transfer belt acting as an intermediate transfer member is wound around multiple rollers to endlessly move therearound. Four photoconductive members are brought in contact with a front surface of the intermediate transfer belt while forming four primary transfer nips therebetween, respectively, to form component color toner images of Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and K (black). Subsequently, the Y, M, C, and K color toner images respectively formed on the surfaces of the Y, M, C, and K photoconductive members are transferred and superimposed sequentially on the intermediate transfer belt via the primary transfer nips for Y, M, C, and K colors, respectively. Then, the superimposed Y, M, C, and K color toner images are secondarily transferred onto a recording sheet at once as a full-color image.
Instead of using the above-described belt type intermediate transfer belt, another known image forming apparatus employs an endlessly moving sheet conveyor belt that holds and conveys a recording sheet on a surface of the endlessly moving sheet conveyor belt. Specifically, Y, M, C, and K toner images respectively formed on the surfaces of Y, M, C, and K color photoconductive members are directly transferred and superimposed on the recording sheet held on the endlessly moving sheet conveyor belt thereby ultimately becoming a full-color image thereon.
Since the multiple component color toner images, respectively formed on the photoconductive members, are sequentially transferred and superimposed on either the surface of the intermediate transfer member such as an intermediate transfer belt, etc., or that of the recording sheet held on the intermediate transfer member, each of the above-described image forming apparatuses is called a tandem-type image forming apparatus.